It is known in the building field that constructing both residential and commercial structures involves erecting a frame of support structures or studs that define walls and ceilings, etc. Plumbing conduits and electrical lines are then passed along and through the studs, and the electrical lines typically extend into electrical receptacles that provide outlets, control switches, lighting fixture connections, etc. The electrical receptacles take various shapes depending upon whether they serve as outlets, switches for one, two or more switches, etc. The receptacles are typically made of either metal or plastic materials that form a plurality of interconnected walls to define a receptacle chamber between the walls, and within which the electrical wires run to connect to outlets, switches, etc. The vast majority of electrical receptacles, however, take the form of a rectangular box dimensioned to support two outlets or two switches.
After the box-like electrical receptacles are secured to the support studs, sheeting material is secured to the studs to form wall or ceilings, etc. The sheeting material is typically a manufactured material commonly referred to by the generic terms “sheet rock” or “dry wall”. When the sheeting material is applied to the wall, the electric receptacles are covered over. Common practice is to measure the location of an electrical receptacle by its height above a floor and distance from a secured section of sheeting material or support stud, and to then mark that on the next section of material. Then, when that sheet is secured to the wall, a hole is made at the mark of the expected location of the receptacle chamber, and an electric drill-like tool referred to as a router cuts out a section of the sheeting material adjacent the receptacle chamber. Then, a router operator moves the cutting bit of the router through the sheeting material beyond and adjacent a peripheral edge of the interconnected walls of the electrical receptacle. Next, the operator applies pressure to the router bit against an exterior of the interconnected walls of the receptacle and traces the exterior walls completely around the receptacle from a place of beginning back to the place of beginning, surrounding the receptacle. This results in another section of the sheeting material being cut out to define a receptacle receiving hole or receptacle cut-out in the sheeting material, and the hole is just beyond the peripheral edge of the receptacle so that the sheeting material may then slide over the receptacle.
The receptacle is positioned adjacent the support stud so that once the sheeting material is secured around the receptacle, screw holes within the receptacles are positioned to receive switch or outlet plate securing screws so that a switch plate or outlet plate may be secured to the receptacle to fit snuggly against the sheeting material, over the receptacle.
When applying such sheeting material to electrical receptacles, it is quite common for the material to chip and tear at corners of the receptacle, or for the router to move away from the edge of the receptacle leaving unsightly gouges and distortions in the sheeting material that extend beyond a peripheral edge of the switch or outlet plate. Such imperfections require application of a soft, pliable bonding-fill material referred to commonly as “spackle”, etc. The fill material must be applied, dried and sanded, as is well known. Applying a fill material and then waiting for it to dry and be sanded, then sometimes painted, etc. takes an inefficient amount of time, and increases the labor costs of applying the sheeting materials.
Many efforts have been made to eliminate the problem of gouges and similar imperfections forming in sheeting material applied around electrical receptacles. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,269 that issued on Jun. 28, 2003 to Smasne, an insert is shown that fits into the receptacle chamber and includes a spike that extends out of the insert. Upon application of a sheeting material over the insert, the spike is supposed to pass through the sheeting material as an efficient locator. Then a router cuts around the spike and traces the inside of the insert, and then the outside of the insert. The insert is then removed. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,883 that issued on Jun. 11, 2002 shows another insert with a spike, and the insert includes a shoulder that overlies the peripheral edge of the receptacle walls. However, it is believed that application of a heavy sheeting material to a wall necessarily involves movement of the sheeting material parallel to a plane defined by the wall or ceiling. Such lateral movement would necessarily damage the spikes of the aforesaid patent disclosures and would also very likely dislodge the inserts from their correct positions within the receptacles. Additionally, manufacturing receptacle inserts with long protruding spikes presents substantial cost challenges, and using them raises significant worker safety issues. Therefore, the cut-out tools of the described patent disclosures, and all other known cut-out facilitating tools, have failed to gain widespread acceptance.
Accordingly, there is a need for a cut-out tool for making an electrical receptacle cut-out that overcomes the deficiencies of prior art tools.